Seal-lock



(ModeL') H. CLARKE.

SEAL LOCK.

Patented Nov. 15,1881

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awjg I N. PETER; Fhnlo-Lalhcgmpher. Washington. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT Grates...

' HENRY CLARKE, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,457, dated November15, 1881.

Application filed September 7,1881. (Model) To all whom it may concernBe it known that I, HENRY CLARKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore,in,the county of Baltimore and State ofMaryland,have invented new and useful Improvements in Seal-Catches, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devicesfor securing doors of bonded or sealed cars, warehouses, &c. It has forits object simplicity in construction and absolute certainty ofoperation.

Prior to my invention very many improvements have been made in looks andseals for securing goods in bond. The locks have nec-. essarily involvedkeys or intricate mechanism of some kind or other, and the seals involvealso very many varied devices, the purpose of all being to provideagainst the opening of the door without the opening of the lock or thedestruction of the seal.

My invention consists of a metallic sealcatch having. alongitudinally-reciprocating bolt provided with an opening to receivethe seal, and held in position by a spring-pawl concealed within thecase, as will be hereinafter and indetail explained.

Inorder that those skilled may know how to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe the same, referring by letters to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a car orware house with my improved seal-catch secured thereto. Fig. 2 is asection of the seal-catch, takenat the line or as, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section at the line 3 y, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a bottom perspectiveview of the sliding bolt.

Similar letters indicate like parts in the several figures.

A B representa cast-metal case composed of two parts, the base Abei'ngprovided with suitable bolt-holes, a, at any desired point, for

i securing the same to a door or door-jamb. At

E is a teat or hearing adapted to support:

and pivota dog, F, which is returned to its normal position by a spring,G, one end of which is secured to a lateral projection, c, on the dog F,and the other to a stud, (1, projectin g from the base-plate A.

Bis a cap-plate or cover, which is secured to the base-plate'A by rivetsor screws 0 c, which are concealed or covered inany permanent manner 5or the cap-plate may be secured in any other manner thought desirable.The front end of the plate B has an opening in it of such shape as topermit the reciprocation of the bolt 11, which is preferably of the Tform shown, so that it will not lift out of its seat in the projection Oon the front end of the plate A. The upper or rib side of the bolt isprovided with a longitudinal opening, f, to receive the seal, as shownat Fig. 2, and the particular form and advantages of which are fullydescribed in an application for Letters Patent which I am about to make.Leading into this slot f is a gateway, g, which, when the bolt is inposition to secure the seal, is concealed within the case or cap-plateB, as will be hereinafter explained.

Projecting downwardly on one side of the bolt H is a serrated or notchedleg, I, adapted to receive the end of the spring pawl or dog F. Therelation and proportions of theparts are such, as seen at Fig. 3 of thedrawings, that the pawl or dog F, when in either of the notches of theleg I, will bind the latter against the side of the cap-plate B andprevent the outward movement of the bolt until it shall have first beenpushed inwardly sufficiently far to throw the dog into the positionshown by dotted lines 1, (see Fig. 3,) which movement would necessitatecarrying the outward end of the seal-slot f within the forward end ofthe cap-plate B, and as the presence of the seal K would prevent suchmovement unless the same was cut or rem0ved,itis apparent that theboltcould not be moved into position to release the dog. When the seal hasbeen cut and removed to allow the movement described, and the dog isthrown into the position shown by dotted lines 1, the dog is pulled bythe spring G to its normal position, and it will then lie behind thefront end of the notched leg I, and the outward movement of the bolt Hwill cause the dog F to assume the position shownin dot ted lines 2,allowing the bolt to be drawn sufficiently far forward to bring' thegateway g outside the cap-plate or case B, ready to receive anew seal.The bolt H is prevented from escaping entirely from the case by reasonof the notched leg I coming in contact with the bolt-support D. I haveshown the leg I with but two notches. I may make it with a greaternumber or with but a single one. I have found, however, that two aremore desirable,

as the clicking of the dog indicates the properpoint at which to ceasethe movement of the bolt.

The seals I use are composed of flat sheet metal, in one piece, with ashackle-like end adapted to enter the seal-slot f, and when the bolt isdrawn out to its limit, so as to expose the gateway g, the shackle endof the seal is introduced and the bolt pushed back within its case untilit assumes the position shown at Fig. 2, wherein, as will be observed,the seal is lockedagainst removal until the boltis again drawn outtovexpose the gateway g, and as this movement cannot take placeuntilthebolt has been forced still farther inwardly, it is obvious thatthe seal cannot be released, except it be out. Y

My improved catch is secured either in a horizontal or vertical positionupon the door or door-jamb, and an ordinary hasp, L, secured in positionto properly drop over thehasp-projection O on the plateA. When this hasbeen done the bolt H is drawn outwardly to cover and lock the hasp L inposition, and the seal K put in place, and the bolt returned sufficient]far to prevent removal of said seal, but not far enough to uncover thehasp. It will therefore be understood that before the hasp can beremoved the seal, being made of one piece, must be cut, as heretoforedescribed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the plate A, provided with hasp-projection O, thesliding bolt H, provided with the slot f and gateway g, and thecap-plate B, substantially as described.

2. The combination and arrangement of the plate A, cap B, sliding boltH,- with notched leg I, and the spring-dog F, substantially'as and forthe purpose described.

3. The T-shaped bolt H, having the rib provided with the longitudinalseal-slot f and gateway g, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof [have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY CLARKE. [L. s.] WVitnesses:

FRED. A. MEYER, AUGUST DUBROOK.

